Alternate Ending
by allyofDracoMalfoy
Summary: It will be extended further, but yup here is my version of the ending to Of Mice and Men. It is much happier. And no swearing I am not sure what genre to put it under, so I left it at general. Have a suggestion? I would love to hear it. Please read and review.


**(A/N: This is an alternative ending to the book Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck. Hope you enjoy, please read and review.)**

It was Sunday afternoon; the great barn was filled with new hay. It rested like a mountain sloping down from one end of the barn to the other end. Four-taloned forks hung over the hay waiting for their next job. At the bottom of the mountain of hay, feeding racks were stationed and occupied by horses. The horse stamped their feet and rattled the chains, while some nibbled on hay in their reach. Light came in lines across the hay, showing bright through cracks in the barn walls. Flies buzzed through the light and rested on the hay. Horseshoe tournaments were going on outside the barn, an occasional clang ofhorseshoes on the playing peg, men shouting encouragement while others played their turn.

Lennie was in the barn. He sat beside the hay with the pup in his hands, stroking it softly while speaking.

"Why do you got to get killed? I ain't gonna tend no rabbits now." Lennie laid the pup down in the hay and pushed some hay overtop it. He was trying to cover it up like it never happened "Georg ain't gonna find out I did it. I tell 'im I found my pup dead and he'll say, 'I'll get you a new one, ok Lennie?' and everythin' gonna be alright."

Just after Lennie spoke, he saw a figure in front of him. He looked up to see Curley's wife. Lennie began to panick. He knew George said to stay away from her. Curley's wife smiled at him.

"Who you talkin to?" she asked curiously

"Myself. But I ain't supposed to talk to you." Lennie explained

"Now don't you worry, I ain't here to cause trouble. I jus' want someone to talk. I get pretty lonely. I talk to myself sometimes too." Curley's wife smiled and sat on the hay next to Lennie. Lennie just nodded, not sure what else to do. She continued, "You come in here to see your pup?"

Lennie nodded again, "Yea, but I can't pet 'im no more." He moved the hay off the pup.

"It's dead." She cried in surprise

"I found 'im like that, gotta tell George that so he don't think I did it." Lennie pet the pup, "He jus' so soft."

"Ever'body likes things that are soft. I jus' set an' stroke my hair sometimes cause it's so soft." Curley's wife nodded and ran a finger through her hair, "Here, feel right here. Jus' don't mess it up."

Lennie gently touched her hair. He stroked it saying how nice it was. She smiled. Then they heard footsteps in the barn and a voice yell "Hey! What you think you doin?" Lennie looked up to see Curley coming at him. His wife jumped out of the way.

"Curley! No don't!" she yelled, but Curley did not listen and he started hitting Lennie with his good arm. Lennie yelled in surprise.

There were clangs of horseshoes being dropped on the ground, a stampede of footsteps coming into the barn. George was among them as he saw Curley beating Lennie, he hurried closer.

"Get 'im Lennie!" George yelled, he had to yell it twice more before Lennie reacted.

Lennie grabbed Curley's bad arm. He pushed Curley away and Curley stumbled backwards, even angrier. Curley punched Lennie again. Lennie froze; he did not know what to do. George yelled again. Lennie grabbed Curley by his shirt and lifted him up. Curley was getting choked. Slim and George ran over and started yelling at Lennie to let him go. Lennie did.

"I didn't wanna hurt nobody." Lennie said

"I know Lennie." George said then he turned to Slim who was helping a shaken Curley up, "He gonna be ok?"

Slim nodded, "Think so, how 'bout Lennie? You ok?"

Lennie nodded, "I didn't wanna hurt 'im. George, do I gotta go to the brush?"

"No Lennie. Not yet at least." George said

Slim took Curley out of the barn. Threatening Curley not to turn them in. There was silence in the barn for a minute or two before Curley's wife finally spoke.

"Thank you Lennie." She said, then turned and left

"George, do I still get to tend the rabbits?" Lennie asked, not paying attention to what Curley's wife said, George heard it though and watched her suspiciously as she left

George shrugged, "I don' know Lennie. As long as Curley keeps quiet until we get our months' pay. Yeah, you can still tend the rabbits."

Lennie smiled


End file.
